Device and method for dividing vertical glass plates

ABSTRACT

The device ( 30, 70 ) for dividing a glass plate includes a supporting surface ( 31, 73 ) for supporting the glass plate in an essentially vertical position and at least one horizontal breaking device ( 39, 40, 42 ) for breaking the glass plate along a line that extends essentially horizontally. According to the method for dividing the glass plate that is in an essentially vertical position, the glass plate is broken at the breaking station ( 30 ) along a line that extends essentially horizontally during the breaking process.

The invention refers to a device for dividing glass plates according tothe preamble of claim 1.

The invention further refers to a method according to the preamble ofclaim 12.

In cutting and breaking installations of the prior art, the glass platesare processed in the horizontal position. The blank glass plates thatare being divided into cut portions of the desired size are usuallylarge-sized. Typically, they have a length of 600 cm and a width of 321cm. This implies a corresponding design of the processing stations,which however is disadvantageous with regard to the space requirements.

In addition, the glass plates are usually stored in the verticalposition, so that a suitable loading device is required for the supplyof the known cutting and breaking installations that allows rotating theglass plate into the horizontal position. A rapid loading is thereforedifficult to achieve. Also, the rotation of the glass plates requirescareful handling to avoid damages.

European patent specification EP-B1-805 784 discloses a device forscoring and breaking glass plates that are disposed essentiallyvertically. For breaking a portion of a glass plate along a horizontallyextending cutting line, a turning station is provided that allows toturn the glass plate portion by 90 degrees such that the cutting lineextends vertically for the breaking process. However, to avoid damagesduring turning, the glass plate portion must be handled carefully, whichis laborious especially in the case of large glass plate portions.Another drawback is that an additional operation and thus additionalprocessing time is required, and that the glass plate portion has to berealigned after it has been turned.

Based on this prior art, the object of the present invention is toprovide a method and device as mentioned in the introduction providing asimplified handling of the glass plates, particularly in the dividingoperation.

According to the invention, this is accomplished by a device accordingto claim 1 resp. by a method according to the independent method claim.

The dependent claims define preferred embodiments.

The device and the method of the invention offer the followingadvantages:

-   (a) they allow a space-saving and simple handling of the glass    plates during processing;-   (b) loading of the installation is facilitated,-   (c) precise alignment of the glass plates is facilitated.

It will be noted that in the following description and in the patentclaims, the term “glass plates” is meant to generally include platescontaining glass, such as e.g. single glass panes, coated glass panes,laminated glass panes (glass panes with an interposed synthetic foil),multilayer laminated glass panes, laminated safety glass panes, etc.

The invention will be explained hereinafter by means of an exemplaryembodiment and with reference to figures, where

FIG. 1 shows a front view of the installation of the invention,

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the cutting and breaking station and ofa further breaking station according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section along the lower part of the breakingstation of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section along the lower part of the breakingstation of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 5 shows an example of a glass plate provided with scoring lines.

The installation for processing glass plates illustrated in FIG. 1includes several stations: a feeder station 20, a cutting and breakingstation 30, another breaking station 70 and a post-processing station90.

The installation is designed as a so-called subplate machine, i.e. theglass plate is worked off strip by strip (subplate by subplate) in the ydirection. This allows a highly flexible processing particularly ofglass plates of different kinds.

Feeder station 20 comprises a first supporting surface 21 for supportingthe glass plate 10 to be processed. First supporting surface 21 isarranged essentially vertically, so that the angle (hereinafterdesignated by alpha) between first supporting surface 21 and thevertical is preferably in the range of 0 to 10 degrees.

The glass plates are usually stored essentially vertically e.g. onstorage racks while the angle of inclination is approx. 5 to 7 degrees.Preferably, the angle alpha is chosen similar to the angle ofinclination of the stored glass plates so that the glass plates are onlydisplaced translationally and need not be tilted in the process ofloading feeder station 20.

First supporting surface 21 may be in the form of an air cushion wall ora roller wall that allows a gliding movement of the glass plate 10 to beprocessed. At the lower end of feeder station 20, a first conveyor belt22 is provided that leads to cutting and breaking station 30 in ahorizontal direction (also called y direction herebelow).

During the transport of glass plate 10, one edge 11 of the latter restson conveyor belt 22 while its rear side glides on the rollers resp. onthe air cushion of first supporting surface 21, the front side of glassplate 10 being freely accessible at the front.

At the right-hand end of feeder station 20, a first vertical suction bar23 is provided. Along an essentially vertical line, suction bar 23 isprovided with a multiple of suction cups that are applied to the rearside of the processed glass plate from the back and are detachablyconnectable to the latter by partial vacuum.

The cutting and breaking station 30 that follows feeder station 20comprises a second supporting surface 31 which is aligned with firstsupporting surface 21. First conveyor belt 22 is followed at the lowerend of cutting and breaking station 30 by a second conveyor belt 32.

A cutting bridge 33 which is displaceable in the y direction ispositioned at the front side of second supporting surface 31. It isprovided with a cutting tool (cutting wheel or laser) which isdisplaceable in the x direction and may additionally comprise a pivotfor rotating the cutting tool. By means of the cutting tool, the frontside of the glass plate can be provided with scoring lines along whichit will subsequently be broken into separate pieces of the desired size.In addition to rectangular shapes, the cutting tool also allows scoringfreely selectable shapes. Cutting bridge 33 may further be equipped withadditional tools for processing the glass plate which are preferablydisplaceable in the x direction and may also comprise a pivot. Thus, itis e.g. conceivable to provide a grinding device e.g. for removing thecoating of a coated glass plate in certain locations, or a drillingdevice for providing the glass plate with holes in certain locations.

As shown schematically in FIG. 2, the cutting bridge is equipped with agripper 34 for seizing a glass plate by its right-hand edge and for aprecise positioning thereof by displacement of cutting bridge 33 in they direction.

The second supporting surface 31 of cutting and breaking station 30 isprovided with a first horizontal suction bar 39 and preferably with asecond horizontal suction bar 40. Similarly to the first verticalsuction bar 23, the two suction bars 39 and 40 are provided with amultiple of suction cups for a detachable connection to the glass plate.

A first vertical break bar 41 is mounted between the first verticalsuction bar 23 and the left-hand end of the two horizontal suction bars39 and 40. It can be applied to the rear side of the glass plate fromthe back in order to break the latter along a vertical scoring line(so-called “X-cut”).

Between the two horizontal suction bars 39 and 40, a first horizontalbreak bar 42 is mounted that allows to break the glass plate resp. aportion thereof along a horizontal scoring line (so-called “Y-cut”).

First horizontal break bar 42 and the two horizontal suction bars 39 and40 are displaceable in the x direction in order to be able to break theglass plate resp. a portion thereof along any horizontally extendingscoring line. The two horizontal suction bars 39 and 40 also serve forholding the glass plate resp. the upper portion of the divided glassplate and for lowering the same.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 by the dashed lines, second supporting surface31 is provided with a multiple of bars 45 extending across its entirewidth essentially. Together with first horizontal break bar 42 and thetwo horizontal suction bars 39 and 40, bars 45 are connected to eachother in the left-hand and right-hand border area of cutting andbreaking station 31 by vertically extending chains 46 and 47,respectively, thereby forming a kind of revolving jalousie that isdisplaceable in the x direction.

Bars 45 are made of a rigid material, e.g. of metal, such that secondsupporting surface 31 forms a rigid wall providing a correspondingsupport of the glass plate. It is thus ensured that the pressure appliedby the cutting tool to the front side of the glass plate during thecutting operation is absorbed by second supporting surface 31 and thatthe glass area around the scoring lines is not damaged by excessivestresses.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of the lower part of cutting and breakingstation 30. As described above, the rear side of the glass plate restson second supporting surface 31. The latter is arranged essentiallyvertically, so that the angle alpha between the vertical and the secondsupporting surface is preferably in the range of 0 to 10 degrees.

The individual bars 45 are articulated on chains 46 and 47, which aredeflected in the lower area of the cutting and breaking station by tworollers 49 and 50, respectively. Similarly, two additional(non-represented) rollers are provided for deflecting the chains 46 and47 in the upper area of second supporting surface 31.

Furthermore, bars 45 are lined with a flexible supporting mat 52,consisting e.g. of a band of fabric that is preferably coated withplastics material. Supporting mat 52 extends across the entire width ofbars 45 essentially, thereby supporting glass plate 12 while it is beingscored.

When first horizontal break bar 42 is displaced vertically upwardstogether with the two horizontal suction bars 39 and 40, as indicated inFIG. 3 by arrow 51, the bars are continuously deflected by the rollersand appear on the front side. As indicated in FIG. 3 by double arrows54, 55, and 57, the respective suction heads 53 on first horizontalsuction bar 39, the suction heads on second horizontal suction bar 40,and break bar 42 are displaceable transversally to the surface of glassplate 12 in order to avoid that they strike the rear side 13 of glassplate 12 during the displacement.

At the lower end of cutting and breaking station 30, a multiple of airnozzles 56 are mounted along a horizontal direction. Through thesenozzles, air can be injected between supporting mat 52 and glass plate12. Since supporting mat 52 forms an air-tight surface, the air willflow from the bottom upwards between supporting mat 52 and glass plate12 and thus form an air cushion on which the lower portion of glassplate 12 may glide while it is forwarded to breaking station 70 afterthe Y-breaking.

As appears in FIG. 2, the additional breaking station 70 follows cuttingand breaking station 30. In alignment with second conveyor belt 32, athird conveyor belt 72 is arranged at the lower end of breaking station70. Breaking station 70 is provided with a fourth conveyor belt 73which, guided by left-hand and right-hand rails 75 and 76, respectively,is displaceable in the x direction. Depending on the width of the cutportion of the glass plate, fourth conveyor belt 73 is positioned at thecorresponding height, so that the glass plate may glide thereon.Breaking station 70 is provided with a third horizontal suction bar 77.

As shown in FIG. 4, suction bar 77 is equipped at its lower end with acounterpressure bar 78 and is displaceable along the vertical, asindicated by double arrow 79. A second horizontal break bar 80 ismounted on the front side of glass plate 15.

Breaking device 77, 78, and 80 is used for breaking off a strip at thelower edge of glass plate 15 (so-called “Y trim”), if necessary. (Sincethe glass plate blanks usually do not have clean edges, it is necessaryto eliminate the edge trim.)

In order to break off the Y trim, the third horizontal suction bar 77 isdisplaced in the x direction until counterpressure bar 78 is positionedon the corresponding scoring line of the Y trim. Second horizontal breakbar 80 is then pressed against the front side of glass plate 15 from thefront so that the Y trim finally breaks off and, as indicated by arrow81, falls off to the back.

As appears in FIG. 4, second horizontal break bar 80 has a wedge-shapedcross-section, thereby allowing front edge 82 to be applied as close tothe edge 16 of glass plate 15 as possible. It is thereby ensured thatthe distance between counterpressure bar 78 and the front edge 82 ofsecond horizontal break bar 80 is as large as possible and that amaximum bending moment is achieved in the breaking operation.

While breaking the Y trim, third horizontal suction bar 77 maintainsglass plate 15 in its position, and after the removal of the Y trim, itis displaced downwards together with glass plate 15 such that the justbroken edge of the latter comes to rest on third conveyor belt 72.

Optionally, for breaking off the Y trim at the upper edge of glass plate15, another breaking device that is similar to breaking device 77, 78,and 80 and displaceable in the x direction may be provided along fourthconveyor belt 73.

For breaking the glass plate along another vertical scoring line(so-called “Z-cut”), breaking station 70 comprises a second verticalsuction bar 84 at the end of third conveyor belt 72 and a third verticalsuction bar 85 as well as a second vertical break bar 86. In addition toZ-cuts, this breaking device 84, 85, and 86 allows to remove a strip atthe left resp. right edge of the glass plate (the so-called “X trim”),if necessary.

Breaking station 70 may be followed by a post-processing station 90, asillustrated in FIG. 1. The latter may e.g. include a tilting table thatallows tilting the glass plate to the horizontal position for manualtreatments.

Subsequently, at the end of the installation, the glass portions aree.g. set down on storage racks, (manually or automatically) sorted incompartment carriages, temporarily stored in an intermediate storage ordirectly forwarded to another processing line.

The following method can be performed in the installation according tothe invention:

The glass plate to be processed is supplied e.g. from a storage rack ora subplate loader to feeder station 20 by means of a loading device.

By means of first conveyor belt 22, the glass plate is transferred tocutting and breaking station 30, where it is positioned in the ydirection on second supporting surface 31 by gripper 34 such that firstvertical break bar 41 and the vertical scoring line provided for the Xcut coincide.

First vertical suction bar 23 and the two horizontal suction bars 39 and40 are applied to the glass plate and secure it by vacuum.

The glass plate or a portion thereof is then cut by means of the cuttingtool. Before the breaking operation, the glass plate may optionally beprocessed in further operations such as drilling or grinding.

FIG. 5 shows an example where the right-hand portion 102 of glass plate10 (so-called “subplate”) is provided with scoring lines X0, X1, Y0, Y1,Y2, Z1 and Z2. Hereinafter, for the sake of simplicity, the furtheroperations will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 5,which however only represents one possible example of dividing the glassplate. It is understood that the different operations will becorrespondingly adapted according to the desired partitioning of theglass plate.

After the cutting operation, glass plate 10 is broken into two portions101 and 102 along line X1 by means of first vertical break bar 41.

In the next processing step, first horizontal break bar 42 is displacedin the x direction until it is positioned at the height of scoring lineY1. Then the two horizontal suction bars 39 and 40 are firmly connectedto subplate 102 by vacuum and subsequently moved a little upwards sothat a small space is formed between the lower edge 103 of subplate 102and second conveyor belt 32, the space being e.g. in the order of thethickness of glass plate 10.

For the breaking operation, first horizontal break bar 42 is advancedtoward subplate 102 while the two horizontal suction bars 39 and 40support subplate 102 until it finally breaks into two portions 102 a and102 b.

As described above, before the breaking operation, subplate 102 islifted a little so that the lower edge 103 is no longer resting onsecond conveyor belt 32 and is therefore relatively freely movable. Inaddition, the separation of lower portion 102 a from upper portion 102 bis assisted by gravity, so that a clean break along line Y1 results.

During the breaking operation, an air cushion is generated betweensupporting mat 52 and glass plate 12 by means of air nozzle 56.Scratches on the glass plate are thereby avoided.

The air flow also assists in blowing off the glass splinters produced inthe breaking operation. After the breaking operation, second horizontalsuction bar 40 is disconnected from portion 102 a so that the latterslides back down on second conveyor belt 32, while the formation ofscratches on glass plate 12 is avoided due to the air cushion.Meanwhile, first horizontal suction bar 39 is still maintaining theupper portion 102 b in its position.

For breaking laminated glasses including a foil, the complete separationof the two portions may further require that the foil is dividedmechanically by means of a blade or thermally by heat supply.

The lower portion 102 a is then transferred to the next breaking station70 where, in the example of FIG. 5, the Y trim is broken off alongscoring line Y0 by means of second horizontal break bar 80, as describedearlier already. The air cushion generated by air nozzle 56 betweensupporting mat 52 and glass plate 12 avoids that undesired scratches aremade on the lower portion 102 a while it is being removed.

Ultimately, the X trim is broken off along scoring line X0 by means ofsecond vertical break bar 86, and the remainder is discharged from theinstallation via post-processing station 90.

After having transferred the lower portion 102 a to breaking station 70,the upper portion 102 b is lowered onto second conveyor belt 32 by meansof first horizontal suction bar 39. In analogy to the procedure stepsfor breaking subplate 102 along line Y1, portion 102 b is, according toFIG. 5, separated into two portions 102 c and 102 d along scoring lineY2.

Subsequently, according to FIG. 5, the portion 102 c is separated intofurther portions along scoring lines X0, Z1, and Z2 in breaking station70. Finally, the portion 102 d is transferred to the breaking station,and the X trim is removed by breaking along scoring line X0 shown inFIG. 5.

In analogy to what has been described above, the remainder 101 of glassplate 10 is separated into several portions.

The cut portions are then forwarded to further treatments or tointermediate storage.

By using a horizontal breaking device together with vertical breakingdevices, it is possible to maintain the original orientation of theglass plate resp. of the portions that have been cut therefrom. Thiseliminates the need of rotating particularly the cut portions, therebyreducing the processing time. The glass plate portions are merelysubject to a translational horizontal and possibly verticaldisplacement, thereby providing a simplified handling and also reducingthe risk of damaging the edges, amongst others.

The respective breaking devices and suction bars act upon the rear sideof the glass plate from the back, so that its front side remainsuntouched. The risk of damaging e.g. the coating of coated glass platesis thereby reduced.

Furthermore, due to the vertical arrangement of the installation, theglass plate rests on the conveyor belt with its own weight, and theconveyor belt thus provides a reference plane for the alignment of theglass plate in each station. Stops for positioning the glass plate, asthey are used in horizontally arranged installations of the prior art,can therefore be omitted.

From the preceding description, numerous modifications are apparent tothose skilled in the art without leaving the scope of the invention asdefined by the claims.

Thus, depending on the field of application of the installation, it maybe advantageous to select the angle alpha enclosed between thesupporting surface and the vertical in the range of 0 to 10 degrees orin the range of 0 to 45 degrees. The choice of a small angle offers theabove-described advantage that the glass plates can be taken overdirectly from a storage rack or a subplate loader without additionaltilting. Yet, even in the case of a greater angle alpha, the advantageremains that the lateral dimensions of the installation are smaller thanin installations of the prior art where the glass plates are cut in thehorizontal position.

For breaking the glass plate, instead of a break bar, a kind of rolleror ball may be used which is guided along the scoring line with acertain pressure.

Furthermore, instead of first horizontal suction bar 39, a gripper or asuitable gripping device may be used for holding the upper portion ofthe subplate (portion 102 b in FIG. 5) laterally or in the upper edgearea during the breaking operation. In order to lift the subplate or tolower the portion from which is has been cut, the gripper resp. grippingdevice is displaceable in the x direction.

It is also conceivable to omit second suction bar 40. Since the glassplate is slightly inclined with respect to the vertical during thebreaking operation, its own weight counteracts the pressure of the breakbar so that a forward tipping over of the glass plate is avoided.

Furthermore it is also conceivable to design cutting and breakingstation 30 as separate stations such that a glass plate is first scorede.g. in feeder station 20 and then transferred to station 30 forbreaking it along the scoring lines. Since the second supporting surface31 is thus no longer required as a rigid wall during cutting, it may bedesigned similarly as that of breaking station 70 so that the scoredglass plate is e.g. merely supported at its edges during the breakingoperation.

List of Reference Numerals

-   10 glass plate-   11 lower edge of glass plate 10-   12 glass plate at cutting and breaking station 30-   13 rear side of glass plate 12-   15 glass plate at breaking station 70-   16 lower edge of glass plate 15-   20 feeder station-   21 first supporting surface-   22 first conveyor belt-   23 first vertical suction bar-   30 cutting and breaking station-   31 second supporting surface-   32 second conveyor belt-   33 cutting bridge-   34 gripper-   39 first horizontal suction bar-   40 second horizontal suction bar-   41 first vertical break bar-   42 first horizontal break bar-   45 bar-   46 left-hand chain-   47 right-hand chain-   49 roller-   50 roller-   51 upward displacement direction of suction bar 39-   52 supporting mat-   53 suction head-   54 direction in which suction head 53 is displaceable-   55 direction in which the first horizontal break bar is displaceable-   56 air nozzle-   57 direction in which suction head on suction bar 40 is displaceable-   70 breaking station-   72 third conveyor belt-   73 fourth conveyor belt-   75 left-hand rail-   76 right-hand rail-   77 third horizontal suction bar-   78 counterpressure bar-   79 direction in which the third horizontal suction bar is    displaceable-   80 second horizontal break bar-   81 direction in which the broken trim of glass plate 15 falls-   82 front edge of second horizontal break bar-   84 second vertical suction bar-   85 third vertical suction bar-   86 second vertical break bar-   90 post-processing station-   101 left-hand portion of glass plate 10-   102 right-hand portion (subplate) of glass plate 10-   102 a lower portion of subplate 102-   102 b upper portion of subplate 102-   102 c lower portion of portion 102 b-   102 d upper portion of portion 102 b-   103 lower edge of subplate 102-   104 upper edge of subplate 102-   alpha angle between the glass plate supporting surface and the    vertical-   x vertical axis-   y horizontal axis-   X0 vertical scoring line for breaking off the X trim (X-   zero cut line)-   X1 vertical scoring line-   Y0 horizontal scoring line for breaking off the Y trim-   (Y zero cut line)-   Y1, Y2 horizontal scoring lines-   Z1, Z2 vertical scoring lines

1. Device (30, 70) for dividing a glass plate, comprising a supportingsurface (31, 52, 73) for supporting the glass plate in an essentiallyvertical position, characterized by at least one horizontal breakingdevice (39, 40, 42) for breaking the glass plate (102, 102 b) along aline (Y1, Y2) that extends essentially horizontally.
 2. Device accordingto claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises at least onevertical breaking device (23, 41, 84, 85, 86) for breaking the glassplate (10, 102, 102 a-d) along a line (X0, X1, Z1, Z2) that extendsessentially vertically.
 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized inthat the horizontal breaking device (39, 40, 42) is displaceable in thevertical direction.
 4. Device according to claim 1, characterized inthat the horizontal breaking device (39, 40, 42) includes at least onebreak bar (42).
 5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that itcomprises holding means (39) allowing to hold the glass plate (102, 102b) above the essentially horizontally extending line (Y1, Y2).
 6. Deviceaccording to claim 5, characterized in that the holding means (39) areintegrated in the supporting surface (31) and are displaceable togetherwith the supporting surface (31) in the vertical direction.
 7. Deviceaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting surface (31)comprises bars (45) that are attached in an articulated manner. 8.Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the holding means(39) comprise suction devices (53) that are connectable to the glassplate (13) by partial vacuum.
 9. Device according to claim 1,characterized in that it comprises another horizontal breaking device(77, 78, 80) provided with a break bar (80) whose profile iswedge-shaped.
 10. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that itcomprises a multiple of air nozzles (56) for generating an air cushionbetween the supporting surface (52) and the glass plate (12).
 11. Deviceaccording to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises conveyor means(22, 32, 42) for horizontally displacing the glass plate (10) resp.portions (102, 102 a-d) that have been separated therefrom. 12.Installation (20, 30, 70, 90) for processing glass plates with a deviceaccording to claim
 1. 13. Method for dividing a glass plate (102, 102 b)that is in an essentially vertical position, characterized in that it isbroken at a breaking station (30) along a first line (Y1, Y2) thatextends essentially horizontally during the breaking process.
 14. Methodaccording to claim 13, characterized in that the glass plate (102, 102b), before being broken along the first line (Y1, Y2), is lifted in thevertical direction.
 15. Method according to claim 13, characterized inthat the glass plate (102, 102 b) is divided at the breaking station(30) into an upper portion (102 b, 102 d) and a lower portion (102 a,102 c), then the lower portion (102 a, 102 c) is removed from thebreaking station (30) and then the upper portion (102 b, 102 d) iseither broken along a second line (Y2) that extends essentiallyhorizontally or is removed from the breaking station (30).
 16. Methodaccording to claim 13, characterized in that the glass plate (10) isfirst divided into a left-hand portion (101) and a right-hand portion(102) along a vertically extending line (X1) and then the right-handportion (102) is broken along the first line (Y1).
 17. Method accordingto claim 13, characterized in that portions (102 a, 102 c, 102 d) thathave been broken off at the breaking station (30) are supplied to afurther breaking station (70) where they are broken along a horizontalline (Y0) and/or a vertical line (X0, Z1, Z2).
 18. Method according toclaim 13, characterized in that the glass plate (102, 102 b) is suppliedto the breaking station (30) laterally.
 19. Method according to claim13, characterized in that the portions (102, 102 a, 102 c, 102 d) brokenoff from the glass plate (10) are transported exclusivelytranslationally inside the breaking station (30) and are then removedtranslationally from the breaking station (30).